July Is Perfect for Third Shift
[dropcap]I[/dropcap]f you have never spent the night offshore before, this is the perfect time of year to make your maiden voyage. It’s soooo hot during the daylight hours of July that it can be uncomfortable to fish in the broiling sun. This is the time to leave the dock in the afternoon, heading offshore.
The game plan for such a trip should be something like this…
•Double check the batteries, generator and auxiliary batteries for the Hydro Glow lights.
•Get plenty of ice, liquids, king tackle and sabikis.
•Pick a couple of friends who would like to watch a real live offshore “National Geographic” show under the lights. (This alone is worth the price of admission.)
Efficient sabiki work under the lights on cigs, sardines and an occasional flying fish into the live well will quickly turn it into that beautiful green and brown color that means you will get many bites after daylight. NOTE: Use a small wire dehooker to remove the minnows from the sabiki hooks (see the video on the website called “Sabiki Bait” to see the efficiency of the minnow-sized dehooker.) Not only does it keep the minnows in better shape, but it also keeps the hooks out of your hands.
This is a great way to catch kings on the light line. Kings are extremely active at night and readily eat frozen or fresh minnows. I intentionally fish the dead or dying cigar minnows or sardines on the light line at night. The kings eat them just fine and it saves the live ones for the bottom fishing. Keep one light line set 30 or 40 feet deep under a sliding float, and one with no weight at all, baited with a dead cigar minnow or sardine… this is a sure king bite.
This is the month when the giant bait balls of sardines and cigar minnows come into Onslow Bay. In the 10- to 25-mile range, there will be sailfish on these bait balls. Keep a sharp eye out for any black object that may appear under the boat or a bait. Be as quiet as possible if a sail is near the boat, as they are spooked easily. They LOVE live sardines on a 7/0 circle hook connected with a 6 foot wind-on piece of 50-pound fluorocarbon.
The offshore red grouper and scamp bite should still be going strong in the 125+ foot water. And this is where the Hydro-Glow pays off big. Out there the light will attract squid and flying fish galore….and all the stuff that comes with ’em, like wahoo dolphin and blacken.
Always take rain gear and a jacket, as the temps cool way down. Change gears and get out there for the “late show”…You’ll be glad you did!